More news coverage from Azerbaijan

2. 0100 The Armenian armed forces have fired on Azerbaijani positions in Fuzuli District. No casualties are reported.

3. 0116 In a comment on the death of soldier Ceyhun Qubadov in a military unit in Daskasan District, the commander of the Samkir army Corps, Lt-Gen Rovsan Akbarov, said that two people have been arrested over the death incident and that every officer who is responsible for the incident will be punished. He also added that the claims about the beating of Qubadov are baseless.

4. 0233 Today a group of young people tried to stage a rally in Baku’s Fountains Square in protest at the death of soldier Ceyhun Qubadov. The police have demanded the participants in the rally to disperse as it was unauthorized. The participants in the rally chanted slogans: “Martyrs do not die! Country will not be divided!”, “Our soldiers should not die, our army should not turn into a morgue!”

5. 0310 The deputy chief of the Baku Police Main Department told ANS TV that about 350-400 people participated in the rally protesting the death of the army private and that 50 participants in the rally have been detained by the police for the violation of the public order.

6. 0338 A woman has died of carbon monoxide in northern Quba District.

7. 0553 Report on reconstruction work carried out in a section of the Qazimammad-Qazax pipeline which was damaged after the blast on 11 January.

8. 0845 Bad weather has inflicted damage to country’s economy to the tune of 10m manats.

9. 1122 Foreign news: France; Mali; the USA.

10. 1635 Nine years have passed since the introduction of the Latin alphabet in Azerbaijan .

11. 1920 Report on a camel in Yemen.

12. 2000 Presenter signs off. Weather.

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Azeris stage protest over soldier’s death, several detained
BBC Monitoring International Reports – Saturday, January 12, 2013
A group of people in Azerbaijan ‘s capital Baku are staging a rally protesting against the death of an army private, the Baku-based private APA news agency reported on 12 January. Some of the protesters were detained by the police.

A group of parents, whose sons died during military service in the army started the rally. They said that the soldiers had not died in combat and demanded that those responsible for their deaths be found and punished, APA reported.

The participants in the rally are carrying placards with slogans: “Martyrs do not die! Country will not be divided!”, “Our soldiers should not die, our army should not turn into a morgue!”, “End to the death of soldiers!”, APA said.

At first, police did not interfere, but later they demanded that the protesters disperse, saying that the rally was not authorized, APA reported, adding that several protesters, who chanted political slogans, were detained.

BBCM note: The rally was organized by a Facebook group following the death of an army private Ceyhun Qubadov, who died in a Defence Ministry unit in western Daskasan District on 7 January. A total of 77 Azerbaijani privates died in non-combat incidents in 2012.

2. 0059 The Armenian armed forces have fired on Azerbaijani positions in Agdam, Goranboy and Tartar districts. No casualties are reported.

3. 0111 A blast took place in a section of the Qazimammad-Qazax pipeline passing through Goycay District on 11 January.

4. 0310 The head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office, Eldar Sultanov, told ANS TV that Prosecutor-General Zakir Qaralov has received the mother of soldier Ceyhun Qubadov who died in a military unit in western Daskasan District on 7 January. He also said that two suspects – a soldier and an officer have been arrested over the case.

5. 0404 The mother of the deceased soldier , Samira Qubadova, has addressed the public, saying he believes that the criminal case launched into the death of her son will be investigated objectively and the people responsible for the death of the soldier will be punished and that no-one has the right to use her sorrow for political gains.

6. 0435 Azerbaijani Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova has appealed to the Military Prosecutor’s Office over the death of soldier Ceyhun Qubadov, asking to punish all culprits.

7. 0453 The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office has issued a statement over the death of Sevinc Babayeva whose name was featured in controversial videos circulated by the former university rector Elsad Abdullayev. The statement says the investigation into the case is under way.

8. 0551 The judge of the Baku Serious Crimes Court, Haci Agababa Babayev, whose name was featured in a controversial video circulated by Elsad Abdullayev, has resigned from his post.

9. 0627 Report on snowfall in Samaxi District.

10. 0820 Report on a traffic jam caused by bad weather in Baku.

11. 1027 Air temperature will go up in the country starting from tomorrow.

12. 1040 Report on life insurance.

13. 1346 IDP families residing in hostels in Baku will be resettled to new houses in February.

14. 1524 Military training held at schools are inadequate; video report.

15. 1802 Sas newspaper marks its 22nd birthday today.

16. 1840 Report on Microsoft company’s privacy policy.

17. 1915 Presenter signs off.

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Security tightened in Azerbaijani capital ahead of rally – agency
BBC Monitoring International Reports – Saturday, January 12, 2013
Security has been heightened in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku ahead of the upcoming protest over the death of an army private in Azerbaijan , Baku-based private Turan news agency reported on 12 January.

The agency said the Azerbaijani authorities were “extremely afraid” of the upcoming rally and were taking all measures to prevent it.

“Police units and security services have been amassed in every district (in schools) of the capital since morning, and they are waiting for instructions,” the agency said.

“Yesterday [11 January], the authorities embarked on unprecedented propaganda. On behalf of numerous pro-government NGOs, they addressed people, urging them to call off the rally and refrain from destabilizing the situation,” the agency added.

“The grieved mother of soldier Ceyhun Qubadov, who had died in the military unit in Daskasan District, was shown by TV channels. In depression, she was calling on young people not to attend the rally, although just yesterday she was indignant urging the public not to remain silent,” the agency said.

The rally is to be held planned in the centre of Baku at about 12gmt on 12 January.